Waterproof package and method of making same



A'. H. SHOTWELL. y WATERPROOF PACKAGE AND METHOD 0F MAKING SAME. APPLICATION FILED MAY I2, me. IIEIIEwEn IuLY I7. |919. 1,331,590.

Patented Feb. 24,1920.

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Patented Feb. 24, 1920.

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gvweyoz attozneq l ALFRED I-I. SHOTWELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

WATERPROOF PACKAGE AND METHOD OF MAK'ING SAME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 24, 1920.

Application led May 12, 1916, Serial No. 97,148. Renewed J'uly 17, 1919. Serial No. 311,680.

To all whom z't may concern: y

Be it known that I, ALFRED H. SHOTWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Waterproof Packages and Methods of Making Same, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved waterproof air-tight package for storing and transporting commodities which rapidly deteriorate unless kept from contact with moisture and from circulation of air. It also pertains to improvements in the method of manufacturing such packages and to anparatus for carrying out this method.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank for the inner carton of my improved package.

Fig. 2 shows the carton after the central parts have been folded and secured together.

Fig. 3 shows the carton when the fiaps at one end have been folded in and the carton is ready to be filled.

Fig. 3" is a perspective of the carton after the contents have been introduced and the flaps at both ends have been folded in.

Figs. 4, 5. 6 and 7 are diagrammatic illustrations of the relative positions of the carton and the Wrapper to be folded around it.

Fig. 8 shows the article after the carton has been filled and the wrapper has been placed around it` and the end flaps of the wrapper have been fastened in position with the exception of one wide flap at each end.

Fig. 9 shows the wrapper in place on the carton after all the foldable parts have been fastened in place.

Fig. l0 is a plan view of the sheet or blank of paper that is used for making the wrapper.

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic and conventional illustration showing. in series, the different stages through which the carton and its wrapper are passed.

Fig. 12 is another conventional illustration of part of the apparatus.

Figs. 13, 14 and 15 show, respectively, the blank of the outer carton. a perspective of this carton at the time the wrapped inner carton is being inserted. and a perspective of the finally finished package.

ln the drawings the numeral 1 indicates a blank cut from cardboard, pasteboard,

or paper material, suitably stifl' to insure that the carton or box formed thereby will, when the cut parts are folded into position, be self-sustaining and capable of retaining, in the form of the carton, a mass composed of relatively small particles or granules.

This blank in Fig. l is scored on lines 2, 2", 3, 3a 4, 4a, 5, 5", and is cut at the lines 4", 4:", to form flap parts 5c adapted to be turned inward at the ends of the broader face parts, and flaps 5" at the ends of the edge parts of the carton to make closed ends at right angles to the body part of the box. i

Vhen the carton is to be filled, the flaps 5", 5 at one end are turned into closed position, as in Fig. 3, the edge flaps at 5" being first turned in, and then those at 5, the flaps at the other end being Aleft open. After the material is introduced and the carton filled, the flaps at 5", left open at the end for filling, are closed down. and upon these are finally closed those at 5".

' After the box or carton has been filled, it is inclosed in a flexible wrapper which is finally waterproofed. the steps taken being as follows: The numeral 11 (see Fig. 10) indicates a blank or sheet of flexible paper which, while being suitably strong, may be light, thin and plain. that is to say. not charged with any of the waterproofing materials commonly used. lt is of such dimensions as to surround the carton or boX. When folded around it. it may be regarded as comprising the section 11k to cover one of the broader faces of the carton; the sections ll" and ll" to lie, respectively, over the edge surfaces of the carton: the section ll" to cover part of one of the broader faces of the box: and the section 11d to cover the rest. of the last said broad face of the boX and to overlap, somewhat, the section 11"; and also comprising parts which extend beyond the ends of the carton. these extensions comprising sections lle, llf, 11g. 11" and l1. which have no incisions but are adapted to make triangular flaps, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9.

The applying of this flexible plain wrapper paper may be done entirelv by hand, or the hand may be assisted by holding devices, or the entire operation can be effected by machinery.

The essential steps are illustrated in the figures in the series indicated by 4, 5, 6 and 7. In Fig. 4 the loaded carton g is shown placed on one of the Wrapper sheets 1,1. In Fig. 5 the wrapper has been flexed at one end to bring the section 11"l again'st the edge surface of the carton and the section 11c into such position as to partially cover one of the broad surfaces. ln Fig. 6 the step of applying glue by a roller 17 is illustrated. In Fig. 7 the wrapper is shown as having the parts 1lb brought up around the edge survface of the carton, and the part 11d (after the application of glue) brought down so as to overlap the section llc and be glued thereto.

The overlapping end parts ofthe wrapper are then pressed in as triangular folds (see Figs. 8 and 9) and fastened by an adhesive.

Instead of accomplishing these matters by hand operation, they can be effected automatically. A train of mechanical elements A, B, C, I), E, F and G is conventionally indicated in Figs. 11 and 12. i The loaded and folded cartons g are carried, in series, by any suitable conveyer, as shown at A, and successively deposited on top of a descending pile, as at B. The lowermost one of the series in the pile is pushed forward by plunger mechanism at H toward a rotary carrier, indicated, as an entirety, by C. The paper sheets 11 (see dotted lines, Fig. 11) are fed successively to a position in advance of each bottom carton just before it is pushed forward. This sheet of paper is thrust into a holder supported by the carrier C. As shown, there are four of these holders. As the carton and the paper wrapper are pushed into the holder, the section 11c of the wrapper takes the position shown at 16, the set-tion l1a takes the position shown at 14, and the sections 1112111) and 11d take the position shown at 16a. As the box and wrapper are pushed into the holder, plates or arms engage with the projecting end parts 11', 11g, of the wrapper and press inward the triangular fold, as at 21, at the ends of the carton. Immediately on withf drawal of the pusher or plunger'H, the carrier C makes one-fourth of a rotation, and the holder with the carton and the wrapper take the second, or uppermost, position, shown in Fig. 11. The long projecting part 16a of the wrapper then has a film of glue, applied by a glue roller 17, vibrating from and toward a fixed roller, there being a plate 19 against which the paper can lie to meet the pressure of the roller. At the next step of movement the holder with the carton and wrapper are-carried 'down toward the hori` zontal again, as shown in Fig. 11. As they descend the paper at 16El is liexed (by any suitable devices, as at 16C) around the edge face of the carton. Just as the carrier brings the holder, the carton and the wrapper to the horizontal position, a plunger (not shown, but of any suitable sort) pushes them into a guideway. Adjacent this there is a. folding device, as at 16h, which presses the flap 16a of paper downward and causes the glued part to firmly adhere to the outer surface of the section 11c of the wrapper which has been held in place by the wall of the rotary holder, but which is now firmly secured by an inwardly pressed glued flap. As the carton land wrapper advance along the guide, folders 28 engage with the pro- 1 jecting end parts 11h of the paper and form triangular flaps, as at 22, similar to the liaps 21 previously formed. The turning in of these flaps 21, 22, leaves at each end of the wrapper a top triangular flap 23 and a bottom one, 25. As the cartons of the series advance, the top flap 23 engages with a paper guide at 24, which bends this flap down tightly in position against the flaps 21, 22, Then a glue-applying device at 26 of any suitable sort applies glue to the inner or upper surface of the bottom 'end flap 25 at each end of the carton. Then, as the advance continues, this bottom flap 25 is, by a guide at 27, turned upward and pressed against the down turn'ed flap 23. The pressure is suliicient to not only properly crimp or crease the flap 25 to bring the layers of paper tightly together, but also to effect the cohesion of the glued surface to the adjacent one.

The cartons remain in the guide'way until the glue has been sufficiently adhesive and the flaps are retainedy in position. They ma be allowed to descend in a guideway,as at F, in such way as to permit those that reach the bottom to be successively carried away by suitable mechanism.

As shown, two small chains 29 are arranged to travel on lines parallel, and closely adjacent, to the ends of the cartons. At regular intervals opposite links are provided with relatively sharp spurs or lugs 30, which, under the tension of the chains, are

/pressed firmly against the liaps 25 and press them tightly and firmly inward and at the same time carry the carton successively away from the folding apparatus toward the waterproofing material. The latter may ne of any suitable character, but I prefer to use melted or liquid parain wax. VThe speed of the conveying apparatus is regulated to meet the conditions. If the paper of the wrapper is of one grade or character, the proofing may require one second; if of others it can be carried in and out of the paraiin at a slower speed and subjected to the treatment for two, three or four seconds, as found desirable. y

During this treatment the pressure exerted by the points or lugs 30 upon the infolded flaps and the glued surfaces is suficiently great to prevent them from springing loose and holds the superposed layers of paper tightly in contact until after they have been sufficiently acted on by the Waterproofing material.

immediately after the cartons have been withdrawn from the paraffin, it is found that the pores are charged and a ractically entirely continuous la er of paraffin is provided which is unbroken at any point.

The purpose of this invention, as above stated, is to provide a package, and a method vand an apparatus for making it, which Will overcome the difficulties that have been met With heretofore in forming and using Waterproof closures for those commodities that are generally packed in cartons, and are liable to rapid.deterioration if not maintained out of contact with moisture. 1 have been led to the present invention from long and extensive experience in marketing materials of this class. I have produced and marketed millions of paper-Wrapped carton packages of the earlier sort referred to, of Which each comprised an inner stiff folded carton and a Wrapper of flexible paper of the sort known as supe'rwaxed paraffin paper. This material is produced by subjecting plain paper to treatment in vparaffin in such Way that, first, it is charged With the Wax which permeates it, and then, second, is covered and loaded with a relatively thick stratum of surplus paraffin on each of its surfaces. So much paraffin is added (beyond the amount for mere Waterproofing) that the Weight of the paper is increased from sixty to one hundred per cent., according to the purpose to which it is to be put. Frequently a mass of paper initially Weighing 100 pounds is increased in Weight to 200y pounds by the 'adding of the wax.

By those using this superwaxed paper, for Waterproofing articles inclosed Within it, it has been Well known that the mere Water-y proofing did not require'this relatively large amount of wax, for the excludingl of Water results from merely saturating the paper.

But, if the paper be charged with paraffin, even to a slight extent, it becomes practically impossible to .attain a permanent sealing or joining of the overlapping edges of the paper by glue, paste, or any ordinary adhesive. And this difficulty is of course increased by augmenting the relative amount of paraffin on the paper. No Way has been found for effecting the sealing of the over-` lapping edgesof paraffned paper, and indefinitely maintaining tight joints at such edges except lby means of melted or softened paraffin. But there is not sufficient paraffin carried by the paper if it is merely saturated with it. Hence the practice has been to provide the edge parts ofthe paper with this excess of paraffin, in thick layers on both surfaces, so that after the edges have been overlapped they can be heated, and the Wax softened, and then the overlapping layers of paper subjected to pressure. But, here in turn, difficulty was met, that is, in supplying surplus paraffin tothe edge parts only of the paper. The efforts to apply a supplemental quantity of Wax at the edges, for this purpose of sealing, has been found, as a matter of labor, prohibitively expensive. Hence the ,practiceV referred to has gone Widely into use of applying enough Wax to, first, saturate the paper for Waterproofing it and then add supplemental quantities of the Wax extended as strata over the entire surfaces of the paper on both sides. That is to say, of the total amount of surplus Wax added not over ten per cent. is useful (namely that along the edges) While ninety per cent., or thereabout, has been unnecessary.

Moreover, supplemental to the waste (in the unnecessary quantity of Wax or paraffin) numerous disadvantages vand matters of inferiority have been found incident to the packages that have been thus formed, each having a stiff interior folded carton and a Wrapperofinitially superwaxed paper. When the paper is tightly flexed around the sharp corners of the carton, the films of wax on the paper surfaces are cracked and broken, and a slight crack, break or scratch may render the Whole Wrapper useless. It must be remembered that if there is even a minute aperture (for communication from the outside to the interior of the package), all of the expense incident to the material (the paper, the paste board and Wax), and to the labor of applying it in forming the package, is lost; for the quantity of moisture in a seemingly small amount of air which is permitted to circulate through even a minute aperture is sufficient to rapidly deteriorate the quality of the goods inclosed within the package. There is, practically, n o midway point. rl`hat is to say, for many commodities the wrapper must be practically absolutely air-tight and Waterproof; and in the commerce of today the number of such practically absolutely air tight and waterlnoof packages, (for packing and shipping Waterabsorbing foodstuffs and other materials) is inconceivably great. And there has been failure to meet this demand, because no package has yet been designed which can be cheaply manufactured, and cheaply loaded with the commodities, and then cheaply sealed, in such a Way as to provide a practically absolutely air tight closure.

The earlier method that l have above described and which l, and others, have fol' lowed, has not met this demand for perfect tightness; that method being, as set forth, the folding of a superwaxed sheet of pa per around the carton and then applying heat at the edges to melt the Wax and seal them. The superwaxing has made the packages expensive. The folding of the sheet around the sharp corners has cracked and broken the Wax films. And the forcing of the cartons, Wrapped in this waxed paper, through the long trainv of devices comprised in the box wrapping machines, has been accompanied by the ru'bbing, scratching and cutting away, of the wax from many parts of the surfaces of the wrapper, Vso that they are no longer perfectly air tight or Waterproof.

By following my process the forming of a complete Wax film on the surface of the paper is accomplished as the last step in the operation of inclosing the material. The carton has been subjected to the rubbing and abrasive actions of all of the mechanical parts with which' it comes in Contact before the wax is applied. The paper has been flexed around the sharp corners of the carton, the numerous bends of the Wrapper at the ends of the box have been made, the creases have all been sharply formed, and the overlapping layers of paper have all been tightly pressed together before the Waterproofing. Finally the film of paraffin is applied, and this can be a delicate film and yet sufficient to provide tightness and Waterproofing, as it is subjected to no conditions which scrape, rub, break or crack it.

After the charging of the paper with the proofing material and the forming of a delicate film over the entire surface the Wrapper and the carton Within it are immediately inserted gently into the outside cardboard box or exterior carton I. This is formed of a blank J cut, creased and folded. It resembles the interior carton H except that upon it are the Water mark ornamental design characters, etc.

The interior carton g is necessary in order to hold the granular contents such as particles of breakfast food or other granular material in a fixed form Within rigid Walls and also prevent the tearing, bending or otherwise marring of the Wrapper. The external carton 1 is requisite in order to prevent the proofed Wrapper from being cracked, broken, scratched or otherwise marred When the packages are rapidly packed in large containers or boxes for shipment and to keep the proofin material intact even during the times o handling the packages in latter stages in commerce.

I" am aware that packages for such conimodities have been proposed each of which Was composed of a single element, to Wit', a carton somewhat similar to the inner carton g, which after having its flaps folded, was immersed in paraffin or similar material, and have myself attempted the marketing of perishable materials in such packages. Butexperience demonstrated that they could not be depended on either for providing moisture-proof tightness at the outset or for maintaining it in those cases Where it was originally secured. The apertures and orifices at the edges and corners of the stiffl folded fiaps Were found, in practice,A to be so large that if the immersing in the paraffin Was continued long enough to lill these apertures much of the Wax seeped through to the interior and spoiled the contents. And, again the fiap and Walls of the carton being stiff and .resilient it Was found that'they Would spring to such an extent as to break the Wax film.

In my ackage these difiiculties are overcome. T e interior carton serves, as described, as a rigid holder for the wrapper which in turn is the agency for holding the flaps of the inner carton inclosed, and, being practically imperforate at the corners and the sharp creases at the ends of the carton it prevents the Wax from entering the interior, although insuring an airtight and moistureproof closure.

The external carton I has one of the large fiapsz', z", at each 0f its ends provided with a film of glue or adhesive, and after the flaps 2 are folded in and the flap z' is folded upon them, the fiap z" is brought into position and secured by the adhesive.

What I claim is:

1. The herein described improved Waterproof package for popcorn in granular condition, the same comprisingan inner carton of stiff aper board and of regular form having fol able flap portions which may be opened to receive a charge of the said granular corn and then folded to completely inclose said charge, a Wrapper, outside of said inner carton, of flexible non-moisture-proof paper folded to completely inclose the inner carton and then saturated uniformly with Waterproofing Wax applied around the bends and flaps of the Wrapper until moistureproof, andan outer, stiffl carton inclosing thel Wrapper and the inner carton and having its interior faces fitted tightly to the exterior faces of the Wrapper and having its sides and ends closed.

2. The herein described method of producing a Waterproof and protected package for popcorn in granular condition` consisting in first formin a carton of stiff paper board of regular form adapted to hold a mass of the corn granules in predetermined conformation and having foldable 'fiap portions, opening the flaps thereof to introduce the charge, then folding the flaps loosely to completely inclose the charge, then surrounding the carton containing the charge With .a non-moisture-proof but absorbent paper, gluing together the long edges of the aper wrapper, folding n the uncut overproofing Elm smooth and unbroken, substan- 1o appng parts of the Wrapper, }g roviding` a tially as set forth. temporary rolhesive fastener for the flaps, In testimony whereof, I have hereto afthen immersing the Wrapped carton in Wa- Xed my signature in the presence of two terprooing Wax, saturating the Wrapper, Witnesses.

and forming a Waterproofing hn over the ALFRED H. SHOTWELL. surfaces and the corners of the Wrapper and Witnesses: v over the end flaps and maintaining the ex- A. L. KATz,

terior surfaoes of the Wrapper and Water- ANNA S. KATZ. 

